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Tempe, Ariz. – Madison Aurin pitched seven strong innings and Cassidy Clark had both San José State hits, including the game winner in the top of the seventh, in a 2-1 victory over the Indiana Hoosiers on day three of the 2018 Kajikawa Classic.

Aurin (1-1), in her second start of the year, scattered six hits and didn’t give up a walk to earn the first win of her college career. Indiana pitching was equally impressive allowing just two hits and two runs. Their starter gave up a hit and a run in the first and a reliever, Tara Trainer (0-3), who came on at the start of the fifth gave up the game-winning hit and run in the seventh.

“Maddy did a really good job pitching to contact,” head coach Peter Turner said. “That’s what she does. She’s a down ball pitcher and when she’s throwing we’re getting a lot of ground balls. What really pleased me was she didn’t give up any walks, which is huge.

“Making the opponent earn it, not giving up free passes, is what we need out of our pitchers. Tonight, Maddy really displayed some veteran leadership. She took the pressure off your young pitchers and showed them how to win a game.”

In the first inning, after giving up a run and three of the six hits she allowed on the night, Aurin set down the next seven in a row and 10 of the next 11 she faced.

In the bottom of the fourth, Indiana (0-4) threatened with one out and a runner on third, but Aurin slammed the door with a pair of groundouts, neither of which traveled further than the circle.

The Hoosiers last gasp came in the bottom of the seventh. After getting the first two outs Aurin surrendered back-to-back singles. She then induced a comebacker to end the game.

While Aurin was dominant in the circle, the Spartans bats struggled most of the game. In the first three contests of 2018, San José State (3-1) averaged 11 hits and just shy of 10 runs per game, but against the Hoosiers, it was another story.

In the first, Brittany Abacherli got a one-out walk. She then stole second and advanced to third on Clark’s first hit of the game. Aurin then hit a sacrifice fly to right to give SJSU a 1-0 lead.

From the second through the sixth innings the Spartans had five base runners, but no hits. They picked up three walks, twice were hit by pitches and two times they got runners in scoring position, but the clutch hit didn’t come.

Then in the seventh SJSU cashed in.

Entzminger drew a one out walk and then stole second. Abacherli got on by way of an error at second base. Going on contact, Entzminger tried to score on the play, but was cut down at the plate.

Clark came to the plate. Abacherli stole second and Clark drove her in on an RBI single.

“That (Indiana) pitching staff is the best group we’ve seen this weekend. All credit to them tonight,” Turner said. "They have a lot of talent. That along with a strike zone that didn’t favor what we like to do, really shut us down offensively.

“I’m really happy that our pitching kept us in the game until we could get the right situation and get the big hit and run."

The Spartans wrap up play in the Kajikawa Classic on Sunday with a game against UTEP. First pitch is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. (MT).